Flush valve assembly



Aug. 6, 1957 Filed Sept. 28. 1955 R. w. STAMBAUGH 2,801,425

FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

HussELL W- Jrpmanuau.

United States Paten FLUSH VALVE ASSEMBLY Russell W. Stambaugh, Tucson, Ariz. Application September 28,1955, Serial No. 537,238

7 Claims. (Cl. 457) Myinvention relates to a flush mechanism for toilets. It relates more in particular to a flush valve assembly particularly adapted for replacement of originally-supplied equipment but capable of being used in an initial installation.

Since the advent of conventional =flush tanks with the automatic refilling features commonly used, problems have existed with respect to the flushing. mechanism, and particularly with respect to support for and control of the flush valve. These problems have been approached by the use of many types of support for the flush valve, finally culminating in the universal use during the last several years of aconstruction in whicha rubber flush valve is carried on a vertical, upwardlyeextending wire or standard which in turn extends loosely through a guiding eye or loop :of wire, a chain being attached between the flushing arm and the top of the standard attached to the flush valve. The theory of this operation is that the flush valve, not being fixed but being guided generally to its seat, will automatically adjust to its seat and provide a firm closure.

In new installations this mechanism functions with reasonable accuracy. With use, however, and particularly when hard water causes deposits on exposed surfaces, the flush valve will not be suitably guided to its seat and frequently is held up by the eye or loop intended for its guidance. The result is that in a proportionately large number of installations it is necessary repeatedly to jiggle the flushing handle to release the flush valve and permit its being seated. When this situation develops, adjustment of the parts to provide for proper operation is substantially impossible and a new installation ofthis portion of the mechanism is therefore required.- Even When the flush valve-portion of the mechanism is replaced, liming up of the overflow pipe to which the flushvalve support is attached and general corrosion'of remaining parts create such problems that sometimes it is necessary to replace all of the mechanism in the flush tank in order to be certain of new performance operation. To meet these problems, a relatively large number of replacement devices have been offered to householders, but these also frequently fail to provide for the new installationtype of performance which is essential to satisfactory operation.

The principal object of my invention is to remedy the types of problems discussed hereinabove.

Another object is the provision of an improved flush valve assembly which the ordinary, unskilled person may readily install without the use of any special tools or equipment.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an improved flush valve assembly particularly adapted for replacement of originally-furnished equipment in flush bowls, but adapted also to be used as original installation equipment if desired.

A further object is the provision of a flush valve assembly which, while. positively guiding the flush valve to its seat, nevertheless allows some automaticadjustment Patented Aug. 6, 1957 2 'ice 2 sothat leakage suchas caused by an improperly seated valve will notioccur.

Other specific objects and features of my invention will be. apparent from a consideration of the following detailed descriptiontaken with the accompanying drawings where- Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of the flush valve assembly ofmy invention which has functioned very satisfactorily, a part of the view being broken awayv to show azfeature of construction;

Fig. 2 is a slightly. enlarged, sectional view taken on the line .2--2. ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view partlybroken away to show structure, showing. another form of the flush valve assembly. of my invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view showing a por tion-of a flush tank with the actuating mechanism, including the flush valve assembly of my invention, in elevation; and.

Fig; 5 is aview. similar to Fig. 4 but showing the relationship of theparts immediately after the tank has been flushed.

Referring now first to Figs. 1 and 2, the flush valve assembly there shown comprises a metal base 10 of generallyrectangular shape in which is supported a lead weight 11 of'the same generalsize as the inside configuration of the base and providing sufiicient Weight so that the base is not readily dislodgedfrom a place on which it is set in the bottom of the flush tank. An extension .12isprovided on one side wall of the base 10 and isv shaped to provide a portion of a hinge to which an arm 13 is attached. The hinge is formed in a conventioualmanner byportions of both the upright 12 and arm 13, a pintle {14.providingthe axis around which the arm 13 "moves. At the extreme outer end of the arm 13 a standard typeof flush valve 16 is attached. This flush valve, as shownaparticularly in Fig. 2, is hollow with bottom inwardly-sloping, generally flexible walls but with a solid topportion 17 containing a threaded metal insert 18. For attaching the flush valve a screw eye 19 is used with threads on its shank matching the female threads provided'on the standard flush valve so that when the screw eye 19 is extended through an opening in the end vof'the, arm 13 and screwed into the flush valve, a positive but relatively loose or flexible attachment is made between the-arm 13 and the flush valve 16. A chain or other suitable type ofstrand 21 has one of its ends connected ,tothe screw eye 19, the other end adapted to be attached to the flusharm as will be described later.

The assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be constructed in any suitable manner from metal either by its nature unafiected by corrosion influences of Water in the flush tank or having its surface treated to prevent corrosion.

Many different types of fabrication may be used; but' I have found that the arm 13 may suitably be a stamping, thus providing adequate strength but maintaining sufficient lightness so that the flush valve will be permitted to float when it is released from its seat in the intended manner. The base may either be a die casting, a forging, or a shape formed in part by a drawing operation from sheet metal, it being obvious that the required weight may be introduced by forming the base it) of solid metal of sutficient size to provide the required weight, or forming it as a shell with an insert of heavy material as shown. While the 'Weight may vary, I have found that very good results are obtained if the total weight of the base is approximately three pounds. It may, however, be lighter or heavier, and good results will still be obtained.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4, a base 26 isi formed around a lead or the like heavy insert 27 by molding, the material employed being, for example, rubber or ,a suitable, substantially non-resilient plastic,

An upward projection 28 is formed integral with the base 26, and an arm 29 is attached thereto by a flexible hinge 30 which may comprise a section of resilient plastic of thinner cross-section than the main portion of the arm 29, or suitably may comprise a plastic-impregnated section of cloth or the like having its erids imbedded in the projection 28 and the contiguous portion of the arm-29. In this form of the invention I also utilize a standard type of flush valve 16 mounted to the arm 29 by means of a screw eye 19 to which is attached a flushing chain 21, all as described in connection with Figs. land 2.

The manner of installing and using the flush valve assembly of my invention is shown in Figs. and 6, the former representing the normal position when the flush tank is filled with water and the flush' valve'is against its seat, and the latter indicating the position of the parts immediately after the tank has been flushed. The flush tank 31 is shown partly in section and carries a usual type of exterior flushing handle 32 for actuating a flushing arm 33. A float valve 34 is carried on an arm 36 for closing and opening a water valve 37 carried on a standard 38 comprising the incoming water line. An overflow pipe 39 secured to the bottom of the flush tank has its upper end substantially at the maximum water level line A controlled by the float valve 34 and the mechanism which it operates. Those skilled in the art will recall that the overflow pipe 39 conventionally acts as a support for the flush valve and its supporting mechanism; but it will be noted that in an installation according to my invention, there is no mechanism whatsoever attached to the overflow pipe.

All that is required to install the flush valve assembly of my invention is to place the base (the Fig. 1 assembly being shown in Figs. 5 and 6) in the bottom of the flush tank in any suitable unobstructed spot where the flush valve 16 will engage against the seat 41 and close the drain opening through which the flushing water flows to the toilet. The exact position of the base 10 will be determined to some extent by the specific arrangement of the mechanism within the flush tank, particularly the location of the standard 38 and the overflow pipe 39. I have found, however, by examining a relatively large number of different flush tanks produced by different manufacturers, that there is always space for locating the base 10 so that none of the operating mechanism is interfered with in any way and so that the base always has a flat level spot where it will assume a proper position for its operation.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the flushing chain 21 has a small amount of slack when the upper end of the chain is suitably attached in the opening provided at the end of the flushing arm 33. This is the preferred arrangement and produces the best operation. The result is that there is always enough slack so that the flush valve will always be permitted to move to the seat 41; but when the arm 33 is raised to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5 by the operation of the handle 32, the slack is first taken up in the flushing chain 21 and the final movement dislodges the flush valve 16 from its seat.

The inside of the flush valve being hollow, air is trapped therein so that it is buoyant and will move upwardly through the water because of this buoyancy as soon as it is released from the seat and is free of the water pressure normally holding it to its seat. The arm 13, as previously described, is so constructed that while it is adequately strong so that it will not be bent or distorted, it is light enough in weight so that it can be carried upwardly with the flush valve during a flushing operation. At this time the flush valve assumes the position shown in Fig. 6, and all of the water in the flush tank is dislodged in the intended manner. As the water flows out of the tank in its flushing action, the flush valve moves downwardly, being positively guided to the general location of the seat 41 by the arm .13. Since there is a small amount of play between the flush valve 16 and the arm 13, the flush valve will always positively center and seat itself even though the base 10 might not be positively located at the exact spot to place the pintle 14 in such location that the exact center of the hole in the arm 13 will be over the exact center of the opening defined by the valve seat 41; indeed, while the weight of the base 10 is such that it will not be dislodged normally by movement of the water in the tank, such weight is not great enough to prevent some slight movement to continuously maintain the required relationship of parts so that positive seating will occur.

In installing the flush valve assembly of my invention no special tools or equipment is required. All that is necessary is to remove completely the flush valve assembly normally attached to the overflow pipe 39. If there is sufiicient corrosion so that the screws do not operate properly they may be twisted off with a pair of pliers, cut with a hack saw, or separated from the overflow pipe 39 with almost any type of common tool found around the house because it is not necessary to save or preserve any part of this installation. When the originally-provided flush valve assembly has been completely removed, the flush valve assembly of my invention is installed by merely setting it into the tank in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6, holding the flush valve on its seat and moving the base 19 around slightly until the position of the base leaves the flush valve positively centered in the intended manner. The top end of the chain 21 should then be attached to the flushing arm 33, preferably leaving a small amount of slack, and the installation is completed.

The flush valve assembly of my invention may, of course, be modified in several respects while still maintaining the essential features described hereinabove. I have employed a standard type of flush valve 16 because they are available on the market and if the flush valve should become worn, damaged, corroded or for any other reason require replacement, all that is necessary is to unscrew the old flush valve from the screw eye 19 and attach a replacement; no replacement of any other part of the assembly is normally required. The construction of the assembly shown in Figs. 14 is illustrative, the exact structure being determined in part at least by the materials used and the fabrication methods employed.

I have described my invention in detail so that those skilled in the art may understand the manner in which the same is practiced, but the scope of the invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

l. A flush valve assembly comprising a weighted base adapted to be placed without permanent attachment on the bottom inside surface of a flush tank, a support for a flush valve attached to said base, a flush valve loosely held by said support in a position over the normallyprovided seat in the flush tank, and a chain having one end secured to the said flush valve, one end of the said chain adapted for attachment to a flushing arm normal to a flush tank installation.

2. A flush valve assembly comprising a base, an arm pivoted to the base, and a flush valve secured to the arm, the said base adapted to set without attachment in a flush tank at a position to cause the flush valve to engage the regularly-provided seat at the bottom of the flush tank.

3. A flush valve assembly comprising a base formed of a shell surrounding a section of material providing weight, said shell and material providing weight comprising a weighted base adapted to be placed without permanent attachment on a bottom inside surface of a flush tank, an upright from the base, an arm hinged to the upright, and a flush valve secured to said arm and projecting downwardly therefrom.

4. A flush valve assembly comprising a base formed of a shell surrounding a section of material providing weight, said shell and material providing weight comprising a weighted base adapted to be placed without permanent attachment on a bottom inside surface of a flush tank, an upright from the base, an arm hinged to the upright, and a flush valve secured to said arm and projecting downwardly therefrom, said flush valve comprising a hollow resilient body open at its lower end, with a top threaded portion, and said arm provided with an opening through which a screw eye extends, said screw eye threaded into said threaded portion of the valve.

5. A flush valve assembly comprising a base formed of a shell surrounding a section of material providing weight, said shell and material providing weight comprising a weighted base adapted to be placed without permanent attachment on a bottom inside surface of a flush tank, an upright from the base, an arm hinged to the upright, and a flush valve secured to said arm and projecting downwardly therefrom, said arm having an eye on its upper surface, and a flushing chain having one end secured to said eye.

6. A flush valve assembly comprising a plastic base with a lead insert therein, an upwardly extending projection on said base, a plastic arm, a flexible connection between said arm and projection forming a hinge, and a flush valve secured to said arm.

7. A flush mechanism for toilets comprising a flush tank having bottom and sides, a flushing handle exterior of the tank, an opening in the bottom of the tank, a seat above said opening, a flushing arm within the tank actuated by said handle, a base setting loosely on the inside of the tank, an arm hinged to the base, a flush valve secured to said hinged arm on its underside, a flushing chain secured between said hinged arm and said flush valve, and a float valve mechanism to control admission of flushing water to the tank, said flush valve being sufiiciently buoyant as to float upwardly and move its supporting arm around its pivot when the valve is raised from its seat by said flushing arm and chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,201,416 Ziemer Oct. 17, 1916 2,035,626 Walker Mar. 31, 1936 2,680,248 Stewart June 8, 1954 

